Serviette-folding machine



Dec. 12, 1939. c. E. TUNER 2,183,497 snvIETTE-Fowme MACHINE Filed Jan. 31, 1939 2 sheets-sheet@ /fvz/ENTo/Q c///a/Es 5, Tue/vela Dec. 12, 1939. (1E- TURNER f 2,183,497

SERVIETTE-FOLDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5l, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Figi.

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`Patented Dec. 12, 1939 PATENT OFFICE |SERVIETTE-FOLD1NG MACHINE;

Charles Ernest Turner, Forest Hill, London, England Application January 31, 1939, Serial No. 253,902

, In Great Britain February 3, 1938 9 Claims.

This invention has for vits object to provide a machine for folding serviettes and like fiat rectangular sheets.

Usually serviettes, subsequent to laundering and after they leave the calendering rollers, are folded by hand, the ordinary manner of folding being zig-zag in'two directions at right angles. Thus the serviette is first folded parallel to one edge into a strip comprising usually three zigzag folds, and this strip is then folded transversely and in zig-zag manner into four more or less equal parts.

A machine according to the present invention is more particularly adapted and designed to effect mechanical folding of serviettes with a view to increasing the folding rate as compared with that of manual labour, and to providing more accurate folding. The machine according to the invention may also be arranged to enable folded serviettes to be automatically counted, and,

if desired, Isorted rinto groups or bundles, and packed.

According to the present invention a machine for folding serviettes and like flat rectangular at sheets, comprises primary folding means adapted for folding a serviette into a strip comprising a plurality of parallel folds, and secondary folding means synchronized with the primary folding means to fold the strip transversely.

Preferably, the machine according to the invention is arranged toproduce folding of a serviette corresponding to the customary manner of hand folding, i. e. to fold theserviette in zig-zag manner in two directions at right angles.

Whilst the machine according to the invention may be arranged to effect the required folding by means of rotating rollers to which the serviette to be folded is fed, in the practical and convenient as well as simple manner of carrying out the invention, a main table is provided on which the serviette can be laid flat, and the primary `and secondary folding means include folding members which are displaceable in relation to the table to effect the desired folding operations, these folding members preferably being in the form of rods which in conjunction with relatively stationary folding edges enable the folding to be effected.

Oneembodiment of the invention employing a table and folding rods will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan of the machine,

Figure 2 is a section on the line II-II of Figure III in Figure 2, certain parts being omitted so as to avoid confusion of lines.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view to illustrate the first or primary folding `operation and,

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view to illustrate 5 the secondary folding operation.

The machine illustrated is designed to effect zig-zag folding of serviettes in the manner above referred to.

Table lo The machine comprises a main frame l which supports a main table consisting of a fixed part 2 and an adjustable part 3 having side plates 4 which also form guides for the primary rods to 1,. be described-by which it is mounted to slide longitudinally towards and away from a fixed serviette locating stop 5, the side plates being provided with brackets 6 which slide on guide rods 'l fixed one on each side of the table. The adjustable table part 3 is formed with a transverse slot 8 of which the edge 9 nearest the fixed stop- 5 constitutes a primary folding edge, and With a longitudinal slot lll disposed at right angles to the primary folding edge and through which the secondary folding rods-to be hereafter described-pass during the secondary folding operation.

The serviette to be folded is laid on the table so as to cover the aforesaid slots and with one edge against the fixed stop 5, and the primary 30 folding operation is effective to fold the serviette, so laid, into a strip comprising three zig-Zag folds as shown in Figures 4. Before the serviette is folded, the table isA adjusted according to the length of the serviette so that inthe present instance three substantially equal folds are producedby the primary folding operation. The limit of the table adjustment to accommodate various lengths o-f serviette, is determined by dividing the difference between the maximum and minimum lengths of serviettes, by the number of folds into which the serviette is to be folded to form the strip, and which in the present embodiment is three. Opposite the stop 5, there is mounted, on the xed table part 2, a length indicator or guide Il which can be adjusted longitudinally of the table to the length of the serviette located against the stop, and the arrangement is such that adjustment of the indicator simultaneously adjusts the table, which moves one third the distance of the indicator.

Table and indicatoradjustment means The indicator ll is carried by a slide l2, which projects through an elongated slot I3 in the fixed table part 2, and which is connected by a link system I4, swinging about a fixed pivot I5, to a transverse spindle I6 rotatably supported in bearings provided on the main frame I. To each end of the spindle I6 is secured a toothed sector II which meshes with a rack I8 secured to the adjacent side plate 4 of the adjustable table part 3. The spindle I6 can be turned by means of a handle I9, and thus the adjustable table part 3 can be moved longitudinally to bring the primary folding edge 9 towards or away from the fixed stop 5, simultaneously with the length indicator lI being moved in the same direction but with a displacement which is three times that of the adjustable part 3, the disposition of the pivot 28, connecting the two links 2I and 22 of the linkage I4, with respect to the fixed pivot I determining the required ratio of movement.

Lateral positioning guides 23 are provided for adjusting the serviette centrally of the table and in relation to the secondary folding means, and will hereafter be described.

Primary folding means Normally disposed transversely above the table, are a pair of concentric primary folding rods 24 which are axially spaced at the centre and have their outer ends 4working in guide slots 25 formed in the side plates 4 of the adjustable table part 3. These primary folding rods are each carried at the end of an arm 26 which is rockably mounted about a horizontal pivot on a slider 2 reciprocatable on one of the lateral guide rods 'I by which the table part 3 is adjustably mounted. The sliders 21 are connected by rods 28 to cranks 29 which are fixed on a transverse cam shaft 3D rotatably mounted on the main frame I at the rear of the fixed stop 5, this cam shaft being driven through chain gearing 3l from the main shaft 32.

Each of the guide slots 25 includes a downwardly inclined portion 33 disposed adjacent the end of the transverse primary folding slot 8 and terminating in a horizontal portion 34 running parallel under the adjustable table part 3 and adjacent to the side of a fixed sub-table 35.

The serviette, when laid on the table, is disposed under the primary folding rods, and to effect the primary folding operation-during which the serviette is held by a gripper device to be hereafter described-the primary folding rods are caused to move from the position shown and in a direction towards the fixed stop 5. During this movement the primary rods first move down the inclined guide slot portions 33 so as to draw the free end of the serviette through the transverse slot 8, and, then as the primary rods move along the horizontal guide slot portions 34, the serviette is folded about the primary edge 9 and between the main and sub-tables to form a three fold strip S as will be clearly seen in Figure 4, one fold being on the table and the two other folds underneath.

Gripper device Extending rearwardly of the fixed stop 5 and transversely of the table, is a spindle 36 which is supported, at its ends, by brackets 31 and to which is secured a pair of gripper arms 38 terminating in gripper pads 39 which lie over the table and in front of the stop 5. Also secured to this spindle is an actuating arm 48 which is pulled by a spring 40a into co-operation with a cam 4I secured to the cam shaft 30, and constructed so that as or just before the primary folding rods commence to move, the grippers are rocked downwards to bring the gripper pads on to the serviette lying on the table. When the primary rods reach the end of their travel toe wards the fixed stop-which travel is invariable and not affected by adjustment of the table part 3--at the completion of the primary folding operation, the grippers are lifted to free the serviette-now in strip form-for the secondary folding operation, during which it is to be folded zigzag fashion into four more or less equal parts.

Secondary folding means Depending from the two parallel longitudinal sides of a slot 42 (see Figs. 1 and 3) formed in the sub-table 35 in co-incidence with the secondary folding slot I8 in the adjustable table part 3, are a pair of fixed folding plates 43, and between these two fixed folding plates is disposed a vertical blade 44 the top edge 45 of which constitutes the main secondary folding edge. The blade 44 is vertically adjustable-as will be hereafter described-to accommodate various widths of serviette. Lying normally above the blade and lengthwise of the table, are a pair of secondary folding rods 46 which are spaced apart so that they can move down one on either side of the blade 44 and between the latter `and the adjacent fixed folding plate 43. These secondary folding rods are carried by a vertically reciprocatable slide 4l the bottom end of which is connected by a link 48 to the free end of a rocking lever 49 mounted to swing about a horizontal pivot 59 on the main frame I. The lever is rocked by a roller 5I on the end of a crank 52 fixed to the main shaft 32-which rotates in the direction of the arrow adjacent thereto-a pair of springs 53 which are anchored at the upper end to a bracket 54 and are connected at their lower ends to the free end of the rocking lever 49, keeping the latter up against the roller 5I and thereby the secondary folding rods in the upper position shown.

During the first half of a revolution of the main shaft 32, the actuating crank 52 for the lever 49 rotates away from the same, whilst the primary operation is being effected, but at the conclusion of the primary folding operation, the continued rotation of the crank 52 with the main shaft will depress the rocking lever 49 which in turn pulls the slide 41 downwardly so that the secondary folding rods 46 move along opposite sides of the folding blade 44 to fold the serviettenow in strip form-over the secondary folding edge 45 and at the same time draw the free ends thereof down between said blade and the fixed folding plates 43, thereby folding the strip-like serviette zig-zag fashion into four equal parts, as will be readily seen from the diagrammatic view of Figure 5.

The secondary folding operation is thus completed, whereupon the folded serviette is removed from the position between the fixed folding plates 43 by take-off means to be hereafter described. It will be observed that the secondary folding operation is completed in one quarter of the second half of the revolution of the main shaft, the final quarter of a revolution being employed for returning the secondary folding rods to the normal upper position and for performing the take-ofi" operation.

Lateral guide and secondary folding means adjustment l,Before the folding operations above described are started,'the`serviette is adjusted centrally of the folding blade 4d and the latter is also adjusted to the height which will assure that the serviette to be folded will be divided mid-way of its width, as it folds across -the'secondary folding edge 45 terminating the upper part of the blade.

In the present embodiment,the lateral guide adjustment and the folding blade adjustment are simultaneously effected, the ratio of movement as between blade and each lateral guide being as 1 2. The blade ismounted in a carrier 55 from which depend guide rods 56 sldable invertical bearings in a horizontal support plate4 5'! which is fixed on cross bars 58 of the main frame I.

' The two vertical guide rods'are coupled by a horizontal bar 59 over which engages the forked ends of a pair of oppositely projecting lever arms 60 which are xed one to each of a pair of spindles 6i. To these spindles are secured upstanding lever arms 62 which are coupled by pin and slot connections 63 to sliders Eid mounted on a common horizontal guide @5 which extends trans-y versely under the table. The sliders .6d are connected by bowed members ES to the respectivethe two arms havingthe requisite lengths to give or lowering of which causes the folding blade 44 v te 'the required ratio offadjustment as between blade and lateral guides. To one of the spindles 6l, is secured an operating handle Gl, the raising to move down or up, and the lateral guides simultaneously to move transversely across the table either inwards or outwards as the case may be.

Take-01T means At the ends of the fixed folding plates i3 re mote from the fixed stop 5, there is disposed a pair of pressing take-off rollers 38 which may be in contact or slightly spaced apart yat a point in line with the folding blade All, the 'folded serviette being fed to these rollers and slightly pressed as it passes between them. These rollers, which in length approximate to the height of the folding plates d3-are supported by vertical spindles t@ mounted in bearings l@ which form part of the support plate 5i. The two spindles are geared to rotate in opposite directions by means of toothed gears il, and a continuous drive to one of the spindles is taken through a pulley l2 which may be coupled to any suitable motor driven shaft which supplies the necessary power for driving the machine. j

The folded serviette is fed to the 'pressing rollers by feed rollers 'i3 each of which is carried on the end of an arm 'it which is mounted to oscillate about one of the spindles 69, 'the two oscillatable arms 'ill being interconnected by a spring (not shown) which draws the feed rollers into contact at a point in line with the point of contact (or space) between the pressing rollers. This position of the feed rollers which is the feeding position, is that which they take up when the machine is at rest, the fixed folding plates being slotted as at 'i5 and the folding plate as at 'I6 to enable the feed rollers to be swung into and from this position.

The cooperating feed and pressing rollers 713 and 68 are coupled together by chain gearing Tl so as to rotate together in the same direction and at identical speeds.

Projecting radially from the mounting bosses l for the two roller carrier arms 74, are pins 18 the primary folding operation, the cam 83 rocks the levers 8l, and 'I9 anti-clockwise against the action of a spring 34, and turns the arms lli so that the feed rollers thereon are swung outwards into the position shown in Figure 1 to a1- fixedfolding plates during ythe secondary folding operation. At the finishof the latter operation, the roller 82 on thelever 8l drops into the recess in the cam 83 whereby the feed rollers 73 are swung inwards to engage the folded serviette and cause the same to pass to the pressing rollers'it from whence it is delivered to a suitable chute 813. Folded serviettes delivered to this chute 84 may pass to sorting and packing mechanism of any suitable type.

' M ain shaft drive i In the present machine, it isarranged that all operations shall be completed and the parts shall return to the normal position in one revolution of the main shaft 32, and that the lattershall stop` at the completion of the revolution and cannot be restarted Without a manual operation. To this end the mainshaft 32 is adapted to be driven from a continuously driven puliey 5 through a clutch 3% themovable part of which is slidable on a transverse lay shaft 87 and is adapted to be engaged with the complementing part xed to the pulley, by means of a treadle S8. The treadle is a lever fixed to a spindle 8f3v extending longitudinally of the machine and carrying a pair of arms of which one, 9i), is forked and actuates the move able clutch part, and the other Qi has an inwardly projecting pin 92 which normally engages in a slot formed in a stop ring 93 fixed to rotate with the main shaft 32. The treadle is controlled by a spring 94 which tends to keep the pin Si? in 'the stop ring recess and to maintain the clutch disengaged. When the treadle is depressed the two arms 9@ and Stare rocked clockwise (Fig. 3) which results in engagement of the clutch and withdrawal of the pin 92 from the stop ring recess. The pulley 85 then drives the lay shaft 3l' which in turn, through gears 95, rotates the shaft, until at the completion of one revolution', the pin 92 again drops into the stop ring recess to release the clutch and stop thedrive to the main shaft, provided the applied pressure upon the treadle has been removed. I

By employing the drive just described, a con venient method of counting the serviettes as they are folded is available, a revolution counter being coupled to the main shaft 32 or elsewhere so as to be moved one stepy at each revolution of the latter. Thus for example in the embodiment il lustrated, any suitable revolution counter Siti is supported on the main frame I and a link Si' is associated with the rocking lever it so that each time the latter is depressed or raised the counter is operated once. Y

I claim:

1. A machine for folding serviettes and like fiat rectangular sheets, comprising a main table adapted to positionally receive a serviette laid flat thereon and having associated primary and secondary folding edges disposed at right angles to each other in operative relation to the received serviette, a sub-table under the main table and parallel therewith, and primary and secondary folding members correlated respectively low the serviette to pass downwards between the Cali;

with said primary and secondary folding edges and respectively displaceable in relation thereto, the said primary and secondary folding members being so arranged and operatively synchronized that the primary folding members first move past the primary folding edge and between the two table surfaces to fold the serviette in zig-zag manner into strip form and the secondary folding members then move past the secondary folding edge and through the two tables to thereafter fold the folded strip transversely in similar zig-zag manner.

2. A machine for folding serviettes and like at rectangular sheets, comprising a main table adjustable according to the size of the serviette and adapted to positionally receive one of the same laid flat thereon, primary and secondary folding edges associated with said table disposed at right angles to each other in operative relation to the received serviette, a sub-table under the main table below the level of said folding edges, and primary and secondary folding members correlated respectively with said primary and secondary folding edges and respectively displaceable in relation thereto, the said primary and secondary folding members being so arranged and operatively synchronized that the primary folding members first move in an inclinated path past the primary folding edge and between the two table surfaces to fold the serviette in one direction in S or zig-zag manner into strip form and the secondary folding members then move in side-wise parallel paths vertically past the secondary folding edge and through the two tables between opposed surfaces to thereafter fold the folded serviette strip transversely in another direction in similar S or zig-zag manner.

3. A machine for folding serviettes and like fiat rectangular sheets, comprising a main table on which a serviette `can be laid at, primary and secondary folding devices including folding members displaceable in relation to the table, means for moving said members in succession to fold serviette in two directions at right angles, and means for adjustably positioning the serviette according to its size in relation to the primary and secondary folding devices, and simultaneously adjusting the said primary and secondary devices to vary the folding effected thereby to correspond with the size of the serviette being folded.

4. A machine for folding serviettes and like at rectangular sheets, comprising a main table which includes a serviette locating device and on which a. serviette can be laid flat with one edge co-operating with said device said table having a primary folding edge and a secondary folding edge disposed at right angles to the primary folding edge between fixed vertical folding walls, primaiy folding members, means for moving the primary folding members past the primary folding edge and horizontally under the table towards the locating device, secondary folding members, means for moving the secondary folding members past the secondary folding edge and between the folding walls, and means for adjusting the primary and secondary folding edges in the direction of movements of the appropriate folding members.

5. A machine as set forth in claim 4, including means for adjusting the serviette on the table in relation to the primary and secondary folding edges, and operative connections between said serviette adjustment means and the folding edge adjustment means whereby both are adjusted simultaneously. A

6. A machine as set forth in claim 4, wherein the main table comprises a fixed part and a part which is mounted for adjustment in the direction of movement of the primary folding members, said adjustable table part having the said primary and secondary folding edges.

"1. A machine as set forth in claim 4, wherein the main table comprises a fixed part and a part which is mounted for adjustment in the direction of movement of the primary folding members, said adjustable table part having the said primary and secondary folding edges, and wherein a pair of concentric and axially spaced primary folding members are employed which are rockably carried on reciprocating sliders, and lateral guide plates are xed to the adjustable table part, said guide plates having slots in which the ends of the primary folding members engage and which have downwardly inclined portions disposed adjacent the primary folding edge and terminating in horizontal portions running parallel under the table towards the serviette locating device.

8. A machine as set forth in claim 4, including serviette take-olf means operable to press a folded serviette and to remove the same from the secondary folding means subsequent to the completion of the secondary folding operation.

9. A machine for folding serviettes and like flat rectangular sheets, comprising a main table on which a serviette can be laid flat, primary folding means and secondary folding means respectively including folding members displaceable in relation to the table and of which the folding members of said primary means move at right angles to the folding members of the secondary means, means whereby the primary folding means first folds a serviette on the table into strip form and the secondary folding means subsequently folds said strip transversely, and takeoif means for removing a folded serviette, said take-off means being disposed underneath the main table and including a first pair of driven feed rollers, and a second pair of driven pressing rollers, means for engaging the feed rollers with a folded serviette subsequent to the secondary folding operation to feed the serviette to the pressing rollers and means for withdrawing the feed rollers into an inoperative position.

CHARLES ERNEST TURNER. 

